I was only 56 and had always been healthy and physically fit, I was a committed cyclist (before it became fashionable). I guess I took my health for granted and saw no reason why I would ever lose it.
I had joined the police when I was just 18 and I continued to serve for 32 years. Having always made full contributions into their very good pension scheme I expected to be able to enjoy a long and healthy retirement with my wife and young son and also be able to continue ticking things off the bucket list. I had already ridden Alpe D'Huez and Mont Ventoux next it was The Inca Trail and Atlas Mountains.
Back home summer 2015 and back on my bike. I'm a little bit too big to be a pure hill climber but was planning to enter some hilly sportive events so set myself a training plan to improve my climbing. Worked hard on fitness and spinning speed but by the end of summer was ready to start working on pure power. 6th September went out for a ride with my friend Andy McAllister with a set of hillclimb sprint intervals planned. This meant finding the steepest hill we could think of and sprinting up it full gas before circling gently round to the foot of the 2nd steepest hill in the area and sprinting up that then on to 3rd steepest hill and so on. Now at the top of the final climb I was a bit exhausted and starting with a headache. Climbing hard meant standing on the pedals, pulling hard on the handle bars and swinging head & shoulders.
So, enough of the background and my life story, now let me tell you about my survival. After my training ride I made it home but some time later I was feeling a bit odd and started having visual disturbances similar to what you would get before a migraine. Next thing legs went really weak and I slid to the ground, this was my stroke.
I had survived it insofar as I had not died but my real survival journey was just starting. During the next few weeks in hospital I underwent a battery of tests and scans before being introduced to physiotherapists and starting the hardest work I had ever done.
The stroke had disabled my left side vision, left leg, hand and arm. First job was to get out of bed and learn to walk again. I never actually fell over but I was very wobbly, eventually I started to get the hang of it and moved hospitals, into a rehab facility where I could get more intensive physio. My left leg started getting stronger and finally I was allowed home, still getting support from community therapists, but keen to move forwards more quickly I was doing additional sessions with a private therapist and personal trainer whom I was paying for myself.
Ability to walk and balance quickly improved but still nothing from my hand and not much from the arm. I felt pretty low for much of the time as I struggled to accept that my life was changed permanently.
Reluctantly seeking chemical help, anti-depressants were able to lift my mood, also I was introduced to the Different Strokes community where I found friendship, support, advice and motivation. More exercise and the purchase of an electrical stimulation device for my left leg allowed me to increase my walking distance and become a little more optimistic
We heard about a research project being run at The Royal Hallamshire Hospital where stem cells would be introduced over the damaged area of my brain with the hope that this could help create new neural pathways for my left hand and arm to exploit and improve their movement. I was lucky enough to be accepted onto the trial and have now undergone the procedure.
It hasn't magically brought anything back to life but we have noticed some small improvements in my wrist and even fingers and thumb. 12 months poststroke I can walk reasonably well and am confident enough to do a bit without a walking stick use of an exercise bike and plenty of walking practice with ongoing physiotherapy has given me back enough strength and stamina for me to be considering getting back on a bike: an adapted 3 wheeler.
Sweat, tears and the support of family & friends have all helped me to survive, the quality of my survival is more or less in my own hands and will depend on how much hard work I am prepared to put in.
Full recovery is possible in time.
I had joined the police when I was just 18 and I continued to serve for 32 years. Having always made full contributions into their very good pension scheme I expected to be able to enjoy a long and healthy retirement with my wife and young son and also be able to continue ticking things off the bucket list. I had already ridden Alpe D'Huez and Mont Ventoux next it was The Inca Trail and Atlas Mountains.
Back home summer 2015 and back on my bike. I'm a little bit too big to be a pure hill climber but was planning to enter some hilly sportive events so set myself a training plan to improve my climbing. Worked hard on fitness and spinning speed but by the end of summer was ready to start working on pure power. 6th September went out for a ride with my friend Andy McAllister with a set of hillclimb sprint intervals planned. This meant finding the steepest hill we could think of and sprinting up it full gas before circling gently round to the foot of the 2nd steepest hill in the area and sprinting up that then on to 3rd steepest hill and so on. Now at the top of the final climb I was a bit exhausted and starting with a headache. Climbing hard meant standing on the pedals, pulling hard on the handle bars and swinging head & shoulders.
So, enough of the background and my life story, now let me tell you about my survival. After my training ride I made it home but some time later I was feeling a bit odd and started having visual disturbances similar to what you would get before a migraine. Next thing legs went really weak and I slid to the ground, this was my stroke.
I had survived it insofar as I had not died but my real survival journey was just starting. During the next few weeks in hospital I underwent a battery of tests and scans before being introduced to physiotherapists and starting the hardest work I had ever done.
The stroke had disabled my left side vision, left leg, hand and arm. First job was to get out of bed and learn to walk again. I never actually fell over but I was very wobbly, eventually I started to get the hang of it and moved hospitals, into a rehab facility where I could get more intensive physio. My left leg started getting stronger and finally I was allowed home, still getting support from community therapists, but keen to move forwards more quickly I was doing additional sessions with a private therapist and personal trainer whom I was paying for myself.
Ability to walk and balance quickly improved but still nothing from my hand and not much from the arm. I felt pretty low for much of the time as I struggled to accept that my life was changed permanently.
Reluctantly seeking chemical help, anti-depressants were able to lift my mood, also I was introduced to the Different Strokes community where I found friendship, support, advice and motivation. More exercise and the purchase of an electrical stimulation device for my left leg allowed me to increase my walking distance and become a little more optimistic
We heard about a research project being run at The Royal Hallamshire Hospital where stem cells would be introduced over the damaged area of my brain with the hope that this could help create new neural pathways for my left hand and arm to exploit and improve their movement. I was lucky enough to be accepted onto the trial and have now undergone the procedure.
It hasn't magically brought anything back to life but we have noticed some small improvements in my wrist and even fingers and thumb. 12 months poststroke I can walk reasonably well and am confident enough to do a bit without a walking stick use of an exercise bike and plenty of walking practice with ongoing physiotherapy has given me back enough strength and stamina for me to be considering getting back on a bike: an adapted 3 wheeler.
Sweat, tears and the support of family & friends have all helped me to survive, the quality of my survival is more or less in my own hands and will depend on how much hard work I am prepared to put in.
Full recovery is possible in time.
How's your recovery going on now Gary?
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